BatProf sheds light on secrets of bats

Get in the Halloween spirit and spend the evening with BatProf, otherwise known as Dr. Craig Willis, on Monday, October 29 at 7:00 pm at the Power Corporation Atrium, Richardson College for Environment, 599 Portage Avenue.

This is a family friendly event and, in the spirit of Halloween, feel free to show off your costume! And stick around for refreshments and snacks at Elements Restaurant in the Richardson College after the talk.

Learn some amazing facts about the only mammal in the world that knows how to fly. What kind of tents do tropical bats camp out in? How are our Manitoba bats like little flying grizzly bears? Why do you depend on bats for the perfect margarita (or any margarita for that matter)?

Willis will answer these questions about bats and ones that you never knew you had.

“Some people find bats a little creepy, but they are incredibly important to ecosystems all over the world,” said Willis. “In North America, the real creep is a disease called white-nose syndrome, which has caused the fastest declines of any wild mammal ever observed since it was accidentally introduced in New York State a decade ago. Learn about the science being done right here at The University of Winnipeg to protect bats from this alarming plague, and learn what you can do to help.”

This event is brought to you by the Richardson College for the Environment and Campus Sustainability Office, and is part of Bat Week, an annual international celebration of the role of bats in nature. Bat Week is organized by a team from across the United States and Canada working in conservation organizations and government departments to raise awareness about the importance of bats and bat conservation.